Side clearance device, assembly and vehicle comprising such side clearance device and method for manoeuvring such vehicle

Abstract

Vehicle (1) comprising:—a driver compartment (4) with driving seat (8),—a door pivotally mounted on a lateral frame along a door swept, the door comprising a lateral window,—a viewing system (25) comprising a wing (28) comprising a first end (28a) mounted on the lateral frame (19) and a second end (28b), and at least one camera (26) mounted on the wing (28) so as to acquire a lateral rear view of the vehicle (1),—a side clearance device (35) comprising a deflector (37) presenting an extended configuration in which said deflector (37) is directly visible from the driving seat (8) through the lateral window so as to enable a driver (9) to locate the second end (28b) of the wing (28), the deflector (37) being movable between the extended configuration and a retracted configuration in which the deflector (37) is arranged outside of the door swept.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle comprising:
 a driver compartment extending along a longitudinal direction with a driving seat for a driver, 
 two vehicle sides delimiting the driver compartment in a transverse direction, at least one of the vehicle sides comprising a lateral frame, 
 a door pivotally mounted on the lateral frame along a door swept between an open position and a closed position, the door comprising a lateral window, 
 a viewing system configured to image vehicle surroundings, the viewing system comprising:
 a wing configured to protrude outwardly from the lateral frame, the wing comprising a first end mounted on the lateral frame and a second end opposite to the first end, and 
 at least one camera mounted on the wing so as to acquire a lateral rear view of the vehicle, 
 
 a side clearance device comprising a support mounted on the lateral frame at a distance from the vehicle side, and a deflector mounted on the support and presenting an extended configuration in which the deflector is directly visible from the driving seat through the lateral window so as to enable the driver to locate the second end of the wing, the vehicle being characterized in that the deflector is movable with respect to the support between the extended configuration and a retracted configuration in which the deflector is arranged outside of the door swept, 
 an actuator configured to move the deflector, and 
 an electronic control unit configured to control the actuator, 
 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to detect at least one of an exiting situation in which the driver exits the driver compartment, and an entering situation in which the driver enters the driver compartment, the electronic control unit is configured to control the actuator so as to:
 move the deflector from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration upon detection of the exiting situation, before the door has reached the open position, 
 move the deflector from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration upon detection of the entering situation, after the door has been moved from the open position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the support is arranged at the second end of the wing. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit comprises a switch arranged inside the driver compartment so as to be actuated by the driver to move the deflector in one of the extended and retracted configuration. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to detect a position of the door in the door swept between the open position and the closed position, the electronic control unit controlling the actuator so as to move the deflector based on detection of a triggering position reached by the door with respect to the deflector. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the door further comprises a door handle that can be actuated by the driver to move the door from the closed position to the open position, the electronic control unit controlling the actuator so as to move the deflector based on detection of actuation of the door handle. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the viewing system further comprises a display placed in the driver compartment and configured to display the lateral rear view acquired by the camera, and the electronic control unit is further configured to enable turn on the display upon detection of the exiting situation. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to detect vehicle speed and to control the actuator so as to place the deflector in the retracted configuration when the vehicle speed is above a vehicle speed retraction threshold. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle of  claim 7 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to control the actuator so as to place the deflector in the extended configuration when the vehicle speed is below a vehicle speed extension threshold. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the deflector is pivotally movable about at least one pivot axis, the pivot axis being one of:
 substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and 
 substantially parallel to the transverse direction. 
 
     
     
       10. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the deflector is movable along a translation path belonging to a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the side clearance device is configured so that the deflector covers at least partly the camera in the retracted configuration. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral frame comprises a roof part above a lateral access closed by the door in the closed position, the wing and the deflector being mounted on the roof part. 
     
     
       13. A method for manoeuvring the vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 moving a deflector of a side clearance device with respect to a support mounted on a lateral frame of the vehicle at a distance from a vehicle side, the deflector moving between an extended configuration in which the deflector is directly visible from a driving seat of a driver compartment through a lateral window of a door pivotally mounted on the lateral frame so as to enable the driver to locate the second end of the wing, and a retracted configuration in which the deflector is arranged outside of a door swept of the door between an open position and a closed position, and 
 detecting at least one of an exiting situation in which the driver exits the driver compartment, and an entering situation in which the driver enters the driver compartment, and at least one of:
 moving the deflector from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration upon detection of the exiting situation, before the door has reached the open position, and 
 moving the deflector from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration upon detection of the entering situation, after the door has been moved from the open position. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , comprising moving the deflector in one of the extended and retracted configuration upon actuation of a switch arranged inside the driver compartment by the driver. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , comprising detecting a position of the door in the door swept between the open position and the closed position and moving the deflector based on detection of a triggering position reached by the door with respect to the deflector. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the door further comprises a door handle that can be actuated by the driver to move the door from the closed position to the open position, the method comprising moving the deflector based on detection of actuation of the door handle. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the viewing system further comprises a display placed in the driver compartment and configured to display the lateral rear view acquired by the camera, the method comprising turning on the display upon detection of the exiting situation. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , comprising detecting vehicle speed and placing the deflector in the retracted configuration when the vehicle speed is above a vehicle speed retraction threshold. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , comprising placing the deflector in the extended configuration when the vehicle speed is below a vehicle speed extension threshold. 
     
     
       20. The vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising a support configured to be mounted on a lateral frame of the vehicle at a distance from a vehicle side, and a deflector mounted on the support and movable with respect to the support between an extended configuration in which the deflector is configured to be directly visible from a driving seat of a driver compartment through a lateral window of a door pivotally mounted on the lateral frame so as to enable the driver to locate a second end of a wing of a viewing system, and a retracted configuration in which the deflector is configured to be arranged outside of a door swept of the door between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
       21. The vehicle of  claim 20  and a wing configured to protrude outwardly from the lateral frame, the wing comprising a first end mounted on the lateral frame and a second end opposite to the first end, the support being arranged at the second end of the wing. 
     
     
       22. The vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising at least a camera mounted on the wing and configured to acquire a lateral rear view of the vehicle.